1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to wireless communications devices and, more particularly, to a system and method for automatically broadcasting a message to a plurality of recipients from a wireless communications device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless communications devices allow users to engage in one-to-one communications such as real time conversations, sending messages and pages, and accepting messages and pages. However, conventional wireless communications devices possess limited capabilities for communicating with groups of individuals. For example, a user cannot send a message to a group of individuals without dialing the number of each individual in the group, and repeating the message to each individual. Features such as redial and speed dial may accelerate the process, but do not eliminate the need to dial each number.
Within a voicemail system, it is known to record a message, select a group of individuals to receive the message, and send the message to the selected group using a minimal set of commands. However, the recipients are restricted to individuals within the voice mail system. Individuals connected to public switch telephone networks (PSTNs) or wireless networks outside the voicemail system do not receive the message.
It is known to use facsimile machines to select a group of recipient telephone numbers, and send a text message to the group using a minimal set of commands. This method, however, is restricted to text messages and recipients connected to PSTNs. It also is known to record voice messages and create contact lists in wireless communications devices.
It would be advantageous if a wireless communications device could send a recorded message to a group of recipients using a minimal set of commands that is executed only one time for each message broadcast sequence.